Avifauna of Neio Caledonia. 535 



is strictly nocturnal, lying concealed and asleep during the 

 day in its rocky retreats ; but as soon as night comes, and 

 especially in wet weather or during heavy dews, the " Ka- 

 gou,^' as it is called by the natives, sallies forth in search of 

 worms, slugs, snails, and such like, on which it feeds. It 

 runs with great rapidity, but has the habit of remaining dur- 

 ing the day in one position for a considerable length of time, 

 like the Herons. Swainson would have undoubtedly made 

 this bird a link betweem them and the Rails. 



All our endeavours to procure the eggs of this bird or reli- 

 able information on its nidification have proved futile or con- 

 tradictory. The majority of the natives have never even 

 seen an e^^, which some say is blue, others brown and 

 speckled ; and none can answer the question as to whether 

 the young birds are, or are not, able to run from the moment 

 of their being excluded. We have kept these birds for some 

 time in confinement, feeding them on the large Bulinii (which 

 can be purchased in the market, whither they are brought as 

 an article of diet for OTir French colons) , raw meat, &c. They 

 are noisy at night, uttering a guttural rattling note, and their 

 antics of an evening have sometimes reminded us of the 

 African Scopus umbretta. Iris, in life, orange; bill and feet 

 orange- scarlet, the tip of the former paler. 



69. EULABEORNIS LAFRESNAYANUS, Vcrr. 



This queer Rail is, though generally distributed, a rare 

 bird in New Caledonia. It appears to inhabit much the 

 same localities as the " Kagou,^^ and is, in fact, a " Wood- 

 hen,^^ like the '' Weka," and not a swamp-bird. 



We have kept it in confinement, feeding it on Bulimi, raw 

 meat, and garbage. It is nocturnal, and runs with great 

 rapidity. In walking it elevates the tail with the peculiar 

 flip common to the Rails, and it can climb and jump like a 

 cat. If alarmed it will squeeze itself into the smallest holes 

 and crevices and lie " perdue " and motionless, feigning death 

 for a long time. 



We have never seen it in its native haunts ; all we have 

 received have been brought to us, after being snared or 



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